How to Ship Perishable Food
Whether as an individual or a small company, shipping perishable frozen food is possible with dry ice.
Whether you run a small business or are a consumer sending a care package, you know that shipping perishable food is not as simple as putting it in a cardboard box and sending it into the mail system. Perishable food can leave a mess if not properly prepared for its journey. Thankfully, a straightforward method exists that you can apply to your shipping needs.
Start with the Container
The best approach is to start from the outside in. Start with an appropriate shipping box that you can buy from the post office. These boxes contain insulation inside it, and the thicker the insulating walls, the less refrigerant you will need to keep your perishables cold.
Choose a Refrigerant
Depending on the type of food you are shipping, you will need either refrigerant that will keep it frozen or cold enough. Be sure to research what foods can be frozen and what cannot, and know how to prepare each kind before freezing. Meat, cooked grains, soups, and some fruits and vegetables freeze excellently, but milk and deep-fried foods should never be frozen. While gel packs work great as cooling refrigerants, dry ice is the best product for freezing items. In some instances, people use both coolants, wrapping the food and gel packs together and placing dry ice on the top and bottom. If you use dry ice, be careful to follow safety precautions.
Stuff Well
It isn’t enough, though, to put in your refrigerant and your food and call it a day. To avoid broken pastries and jostled produce, stuff the package with crumpled paper or bubble wrap to keep anything from moving around during shipping. If you have dry ice in it, let the box ventilate so the carbon dioxide gas can escape.
Ship Fast and Track
Choose the fastest shipping method possible to avoid letting the food sit longer than necessary. The UPS recommends picking a service that will deliver your product in 30 hours or less. Make sure you can track your shipment to ensure its delivery.
Ensure Swift Reception
If you are a consumer mailing goods to a friend or family member, ship at a time when you know that someone will be at the door to receive the package. While you want to make sure your package arrives quickly, you also want to know that it will arrive at its intended person as soon as possible too.
Dry Ice For All Your Needs
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our dry ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge amount of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200 or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
